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The IOC cannot force athletes to take the COVID-19 vaccine; John Coates: “He is certainly encouraged”; Australia, the latest country to begin vaccine deployment; Tokyo Olympics spectator decision could be made by April
Last updated: 02/25/21 7:36 am
Athletes to be encouraged to get COVID-19 vaccine ahead of Tokyo Olympics
Athletes are encouraged to take the COVID-19 vaccine before the Tokyo Olympics, but it will not be mandatory, said International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president John Coates.
This follows comments made last month by IOC President Thomas Bach, who said that the various National Olympic Committees would coordinate vaccine deployments, but that he was not in favor of athletes “skipping the line. waiting line”.
The IOC works with COVAX, the World Health Organization’s global vaccine sharing program.
“It doesn’t have to be, we can’t do that,” Coates, head of the IOC’s Tokyo Games Coordination Commission, told reporters in Brisbane on Thursday.
“But it is certainly encouraged and the IOC has an agreement with COVAX where it helps facilitate vaccine distribution.”
The revamped Olympics are set to begin on July 23, and Coates, who is also chairman of the Australian Olympic Committee, expects Australian athletes to be vaccinated by June “at the latest.”
Australia started rolling out its vaccine this week.
IOC Vice President John Coates ruled out mandatory vaccinations before the Games
Coates also said the Japanese government must make a decision on how many fans could attend the Olympics by April.
Organizers hope to have spectators at the Games, although speculation remains that the event could be canceled again due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“A decision regarding all of the accredited people and all of those who have purchased tickets in Japan will certainly be there,” Coates said.
“A final decision will be made by the Japanese government. It’s the governments that decide these things on what’s safe and, a little later, probably March, April … a decision on the capacity of the sites we’re going to have. . “
2:23 Sky Sports News reporter Geraint Hughes explains what’s in the International Olympic Committee’s first “ Coronavirus Playbook ” for the Tokyo Games this summer
Coates said officials should make the village and athlete venues “the safest place in Tokyo.”
“Last week we had four days of operational planning, we are now about to look at the seats on the buses to make sure there is the right distance,” he added.
“Well that’s great, suddenly we need to double the bus fleet and there are a lot of buses involved.”
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